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If you’re here, you are probably experiencing problems with your Shark vacuum – the roller brush is not spinning(starts then stops).
If yes, below I will take you through how you can easily troubleshoot and fix what might be causing the problem.
Keep in mind that these fixes will work on most Shark vacuum models.
Let us get started.
Shark vacuum roller brush starts then stops – how to fix the problem
Shark produces a range of vacuum cleaners-from corded to cordless to robot vacuum cleaners.
The good thing is that nearly these vacs all have indicator lights that help a lot when diagnosing the c vacuum cleaner when something goes wrong.
For that reason, I have subdivided this article into three parts, each covering how to fix roller brush issues on the three types of Shark vacs (corded, cordless, and robot).
We shall start by looking at how to troubleshoot and fix a Shark corded vacuum whose brush roller is not spinning.
Corded Shark vacuum roller brush not spinning- how to fix the fault
Before troubleshooting the vac, first plug and turn it on.
Next, place your foot on the floor nozzle and tilt the handle back to engage the brushroll.
After that, check if the brushroll indicator lights come on.
Once through, unplug your vac and proceed as follows (depending on what you see):
Indicator lights do not light or blink
If your vac showed no lights, follow the steps below to fix the brush roller.
- Unplug your vac.
- Use a coin to turn the locks on the bottom of the nozzle counter-clockwise.
- Lift off the cover to access the brushroll. Next, carefully remove any strings, hair, or debris that may be lodged around the brushroll.
- Re-insert the cover and be sure to press it down firmly on all sides(including along the front part). Once you’re done, turn the locks clockwise to close.
- Using a flashlight, look into the three-hole connector located on the end of the handheld part of the vac for debris as shown below:
Clear any debris inside it.
6. You can now reattach the handheld part back to the nozzle-be sure to press firmly until you hear a click.
7. Plug in your vacuum and run it. It should now run smoothly, if you’re lucky.
Are the indicator lights a solid red or flashing red?
If yes, it could mean that the motor in the nozzle has overheated.
So leave the unit for approximately 60 minutes to let it cool down.
Besides, you could be using the wrong setting for your surface, resulting in the brush roller not spinning and the indicator light being a solid or flashing red.
Why?
Well, it’s because Shark vacs have a safety feature that allows them to prevent the brushroll motor from overheating when being used on thick carpets.
With that in mind, you should use Setting I on bare floors and small area rugs.
On the other hand, use Setting II on thick carpets.
Observing these suggestions should have your vac running flawlessly.
If not- the indicator lights are still a solid red or they are flashing red- try the extra steps below:
- Turn off and unplug the vac.
- Detach the wand from the handheld part and also from the floor nozzle.
- Turn the nozzle upside down and check for clogs around the brushroll- also check for clogs inside the debris intake that is located behind the brushroll as shown below:
- Reassemble the wand – be sure to confirm that it clicks into place.
- Plug in your vacuum and turn it on to proceed with your cleaning.
Brush roll indicator light is green but it does not spin
Finally, if the brushroll indicator light is green yet the brushroll is not spinning, it’s best to reach out toShark customer care team for further troubleshooting- call 1-855-427-5121.
Shark cordless vacuum brush not spinning at all
If your model has a display screen, begin by looking for an error code.
Does the display show an E6 error code?
If yes, your best bet is cleaning your cordless shark vacuum brush roller/nozzle.
How to clean a cordless Shark vacuum brush roller/nozzle
- Turn off the vacuum.
- Detach the floor nozzle from the wand and press the eject tab on the nozzle. This should remove the soft roller.
- Turn the floor nozzle over and using a coin, turn the locks on the bottom over counter-clockwise. After that, lift the cover-to access the brushroll.
- Clear any hair or clogs inside the nozzle openings, soft roller, and brushroll.
- Reattach the bottom cover and then turn the locks in the clockwise direction to close it.
- Reconnect the floor nozzle to the wand and turn the power back on.
Does the screen display an F8 error code?
If yes, probably the floor nozzle motor has overheated.
The solution is to allow it to cool down for about 60 minutes.
Another thing worth trying if the error remains is cleaning your nozzle and brush roller (as described above)
No error code displayed
If you did not see an error code, then there might be an issue with the connection points in your vac(they could be loose or clogged).
Now, to resolve the issue, double-check the connection points and make sure they’re all tight (and that there’s no clogging).
Procedure
First disassemble your vac to separate the wand from the handheld part and floor nozzle.
Next, check the area where the wand connects to the handheld vac and clear any dirt or debris that might have accrued.
Also check the floor nozzle where the wand connects to and clear any dirt or debris that might have accrued here.
Finish by inspecting both ends of the wand for any clogs- clean anything you can see.
You can now reassemble your vac- ensure you can hear an audible click with each connection.
Turning on your cordless Shark vacuum should now have the roller brush spinning freely.
What if you own a cordless model that does not have a display screen such as the Shark Wandvac®?
Well, it will still have indicator lights so you have to rely on these indicator lights when troubleshooting the vac.
Shark Wandvac® cordless brush roller not spinning
Question: Is the third LED on the handheld part a solid yellow?
If yes, perhaps either the brushroll or the nozzle has clogs/hairs around it so again try to clean both parts.
To do so, see the section: How to clean a cordless Shark vacuum brush roller/nozzle.
On the other hand, if this light is blinking yellow, turn off the vac and disassemble the nozzle from the wand-also disconnect the wand from the handheld vac part.
Next, inspect all the metallic contacts for debris-If you can locate any, clean them off using a dry cloth.
Now reassemble your vac and turn it back on.
Finally, if the third LED on your handheld part is not solid yellow, check and see if it is blinking yellow.
If yes, consult the Shark customer care team at 1-855-427-5121.
Shark duoclean roller brush not spinning and lights flashing
Here you will note that your brush roller indicator lights will be flashing red.
As mentioned earlier, this shows that the motor (located inside the nozzle) has overheated.
So again let the vac sit and cool down for about 60 minutes.
Shark vacuum roller brush starts then stops – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do you remove the roller brush from a shark powered lift away vacuum?
Shark has a couple of different models with a lift away vacuum and as you might have guessed, the exact procedure to remove the brush roller varies from one model to the next.
That is where the owners manual comes in – look for the right procedure from your owner’s manual.
Note: Shark does not design their lift away vacuums in a manner that allows the removal of the brush roller on its own.
Instead, you can only remove the whole floor head.
This is why it is expensive to replace a Shark brush roller since you have to replace the whole floor head.
That said, you can remove the floor head (in some Shark Navigator models) as follows:
- Turn off and unplug the vacuum.
- Hit the lift away button and lift the unit off.
- Disconnect the wand.
- Flip over the floor nozzle.
- Using a coin, turn the three notches below the nozzle counter-clockwise to unlock the nozzle and pull up the cover.
- Pull out the small rods holding the front bumper in place.
Shark vacuum roller brush starts then stops – how to fix any model
The fixes above can fix most of Shark vacuum models.
However, if none applies to your model, visit Shark Vacuum Troubleshooting website– Shark publishes some excellent troubleshooting tips there.
Shark vacuum roller brush starts then stops – final words
The Shark family of vacs are an excellent option but as with nearly all vacuum brands, the main roller brush gets wrapped with stuff (hair, dust, and other garbage debris things that deteriorates it over time.
So sometimes it’s best to just swap out the old roller.
ALSO READ:
Shark robot vacuum troubleshooting max light flashing
Shark vacuum no suction loud noise [Fixed]
